Our people

Adam Kingl, Executive Director, Thought Leadership

08/02/2016

Executive Education's Adam Kingl has taken on the role of Executive Director, Thought Leadership. His knowledge of Executive Education, passion for the work of LBS faculty and his great public speaking skills make him the ideal candidate for this role. We met up with Adam to find out about his new position.

How long have you worked at the School?

I’ve been here almost exactly seven years. I also graduated from the full-time MBA at the School twelve years ago.

Can you tell us what your new role as an Executive Director, Thought Leadership, will entail?

The Executive Director of Thought Leadership will work closely with faculty to ensure that our recent research outputs are core to Executive Education’s value proposition and to develop new products and services. The role will also act as an external ambassador in support of our client management, business development and profile-raising activities. The person will also be jointly accountable, with my colleagues in Executive Education’s Management Team, for the strategic success of Executive Education.

Why does Executive Education need one?

Executive Education is twice the size of the business that I joined seven years ago. This was a natural point to reflect on where we are and to shape our next steps. Two specific points have occupied Executive Education’s Management Team’s conversations in terms of our next Way Forward. First we have an opportunity to use our own thought leadership much more effectively to differentiate ourselves in a crowded marketplace, and we need to do so if we want to remain successful. Second, the Management Team is too lean now, given the size we have become, and Sabine identified an opportunity to grow our capacity and in areas we’ve been under-represented as a business.

If you could only achieve one thing in 2016, what would it be?

I’d like to create a module based on one piece of thought leadership from the School that positions Executive Education as ‘the’ place to come for management development in that field – that clients and participants know they can only find it here.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

"Treat everyone as if they’re angels in disguise."

"Always have an extra pair of underwear."

Tell us something surprising about you.

My first career was in the entertainment industry, so I have quite a few ‘unique’ experiences from my early professional days. I directed and performed in a touring improv comedy group that included some very successful writers and actors today; I directed the first Monty Python stage production in the world that didn’t include the original cast; I played a pig in a Guinness radio ad. I could go on…